HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA, July 12: A wild elephant was found dead in Seema Pather of 2 Number Makum Pather, Margherita, under the Digboi Forest Division in Tinsukia district, sparking significant concern among local residents. The carcass was discovered on Friday morning.
According to locals, the elephant had been causing disturbances in the area for several days, breaking into homes in search of food. The sudden death of the animal has left the residents shocked.
Related Posts:
“We don’t know the cause of death. Whenever elephants are spotted in the area, Margherita forest officials are informed, but they arrive late and assess the situation just to fulfill their duty,” a local resident of Seema Pather told media in Margherita.
Local residents alleged, “No arrangements have been made yet. The Margherita sub-divisional administration and Margherita Municipal Board have failed to install street lights in this area, where wild elephants frequently enter residential zones in search of food, regularly threatening life and property.”
Prodip Saikia, Margherita West Range forest officer, stated that the exact cause of the elephant’s death has yet to be determined. Further details will be provided following a post-mortem examination of the pachyderm.
Debojit Moran, noted environmentalist and general secretary of the Green Bud Society (NGO), Assam, stated that rampant deforestation in the forest reserve areas of the Margherita East and West Range Forest Offices, Lekhapani Forest Range Office, Jagun Forest Range Office, and Lekhajan Forest Beat Office under the Digboi Forest Division of Tinsukia district has forced wild elephants, monkeys, tigers, leopards, pythons, deer, and bears to enter nearby residential areas in search of food. This has resulted in many houses being vandalised and local residents being trampled to death. However, Assam Forest and Environment minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and higher forest department officials have failed to control illegal deforestation and take stringent action against those involved.
